My Top 10 Sports Events of 2023
This year was an amazing year for sports but here are my Top 10 events of the year.
2023 was a very big year for sports all the way around but here’s what I feel were the best of the best of 2023.
10. The 2023 NCAA Tournament
When I came home with my pizza from Ledo’s, I knew we were in for one of the best NCAA Tournaments in quite some time. It all started with an amazing win by Maryland which was the kick-off game of the main stretch of games. It also had a lot of upsets including Furman over Virginia and Fairleigh Dickinson University upending the OVERALL 1 seed in Purdue. It all ended with the UCONN Huskies defeating surprise finalists San Diego State University. But the team of the tournament was the Florida Atlantic Owls. A 9 seed that wasn’t expected to go anywhere.
9. The Exit of the U.S. Women in the 2023 FIFAWWC
What happened to the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team? Have they finally been solved? The defending champs were ousted by Sweden in penalties, 5-4 after a 0-0 round of 16 draw. The women finished in 16th place.
8. Messi’s debut for Inter Miami CF
Lionel Messi was signed to a 2 1/2-year deal by Inter Miami FC and his presence was felt all across the league. It gave the Major League Soccer a $5 billion boost in revenues due to the high demand for tickets. Major League Soccer believes that with Messi in the league, the organization can actually afford to increase the salary cap and further fuel the expansion the league.
7. Nashville SC v. Inter Miami CF – Leagues Cup Final
Nashville SC and Inter Miami CF would face-off in the 3rd edition of the Leagues Cup. In a hotly contested match. The match took place in Nashville, where tickets were going for $1,000+ a ticket. Lionel Messi would open scoring in the 23rd minute with a buzz bomb that went past Elliot Panicco to give Inter Miami CF, a 1-0 lead. Nashville would respond in the 57th minute with a goal of their own to tie the game. After 90 minutes of play, it would be decided in a shootout. Both teams scored goal after goal and following a Callender save on the goalkeeper Panicco, Callender scored the game winner in the 10th round of the shootout for Inter Miami CF. Callender would be named Man of the Match.
6. The Nagoya Basho – Hoshoryu makes Ozeki. Kirishima goes Kadoban in his debut as an Ozeki
Hoshoryu, who has been named Golden Boy by that of the famed Nattosumo, a youtube and rumble star is known for posting videos of matches, won the right to be named Ozeki after a 12-3 playoff win in the 2023 July Nagoya Basho. Hoshoryu, 24, of Mongolia, defeated Hokutofuji for the title and the right to be named Ozeki. After the match, the new Ozeki said: “I was just so overwhelmed with joy and the tears just came.”
5. The Mid-Atlantic Regional Final of the Little League World Series
Pennsylvania took on Washington D.C. for the right to go to the 2023 Little League World Series. Washington D.C. had never been there in their time in Little League World Series history and there was a chance they could go there but too many wasted opportunities included a bases loaded, 1-out situation cost them dearly and propelled Pennsylvania to the Little League World Series. An unnamed DC player said: “I wanted to go there but we just didn’t have the firepower.”
4. Super Bowl LVII
Kansas City and Philadelphia squared off in the 2nd major event of the year. Kansas City and Philadelphia traded scores left and right until a controversial penalty gave KC the win.
3. Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Purdue
16-seeded Fairleigh Dickson (who had to play-in to the NCAA Tournament. Winning 84-61 over Texas Southern) was a 30-point underdog in the 2023 NCAA Tournament 1st round game against the Purdue Boilermakers who were widely expected to win the National Championship. However, poor D, poor shooting, and poor everything doomed Purdue as they lost 63-58 to the team from New Jersey. Fairleigh Dickenson believed in themselves and won the game. They held the Boilermakers to 19/53 shooting and 5/26 from 3-point range
2. Adley goes 5-for-5 in the Orioles opening day 10-9 win over Boston.
You know that one. I wrote about it.
1. The 2023 Baltimore Orioles season.
The experts widely agreed that the Orioles were a year away from competing but the Orioles told the experts to “hold their beer” and watch how they play. Thanks to unusually strong pitching and a leader in Adley Rutschman, the Orioles won 101 games.
The Orioles beat PECOTA by 25 games and finished with 8 wins over Pythagorean. Next year will be even more special as the Orioles will probably more than likely have Jackson Holliday on their starting roster and some very special players coming up down the road.
